Bomba make 10-year-old girl's wish come true

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a birthday to remember for cancer-stricken Harith Maisara Mohd Rizal after her dream of being a fire fighter came true.

Harith Maisara, who suffers from acute myeloid leukaemia, was made an honorary fire fighter for a day at the Jalan Hang Tuah Fire Station Saturday.

Clad in a Fire and Rescue Department uniform, Maisara initially looked a little overwhelmed by the occasion but was all smiles after getting off the fire engine.

Her mother, Suhana Sanuri, 44, fought back tears when she thanked the Department and non-governmental organisation Make A Wish Malaysia, who helped organise the event.

"It has been a difficult test for us after her diagnosis in October last year, but today she forgot about all that.

"I want to thank everyone for helping to make this a reality," she said after the event at the fire station.

Firemen give Maisara pointers on the proper way to extinguish a fire.

Maisara, who turned 10 on Friday, was also presented with a cake by a group of firemen, including Fire Prevention Council Malaysia national chairman and former Fire and Rescue Department director general Datuk Soh Chai Hock and Federal Territory Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman.

Suhana said Maisara was always curious about things that are out of the ordinary, like fire.

Maisara has undergone four cycles of chemotherapy from January to April this year and is said to be in remission.

"She is currently undergoing follow-up treatments at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and even started going back to school," she said.